We are in Camp 2 at 6400 meters. It is night. We look forward to tomorrow to
break the wall Lhodze. We have divided the team into two parts. The first
group was composed of Michael, Eric, Vladimir, Dmitry and Andrey. Guides -
Abramov and Bobok. Also, they raised 7 Sherpas. The second team: three clients
Nouel, Lynn and Patrick. They will go with two guides Chernyi and Bogatyryov
and four Sherpas. We need to make Camp 4. Therefore, in the first team, we
have more than half of Sherpas.

Weather still favors. The entire route is visible. In general, all according
to plan. Mood is heartily. Even today, Dmitry said to me: ęIs it normal that
the Sherpas such in a good mood?Ľ. I answered: ęOf course!Ľ This is
understandable. After all, they have to work only one week.

Bye!

Earlier: Tomorrow 16
May "7 summits Club" planning to start summit attempt. 9 Clients, 4 guides, 11
Sherpas start 16 May to Camp 1. In Camp 2 we will make decision how to split
team for 2 parts, depending from members condition. We waited in BC 12 days
and condition of some members changed. We planned to climb to Summit of
Everest 20 and 21 of May. Best reguards, Olga Seven Summits Club

Earlier: Everest 2009.
The entire team has successfully reached the summit.
We are proud to report that the entire team has successfully reached the
summit yesterday shortly past midday! Team pictures were taken on the summit
of .... Kala Patthar at 5550m. Since we all were stuck at the Base Camp for
several days in a row because of bad weather, all felt that something needed
to be accomplished, a short break from the camp had to be taken, and some work
must be given to our muscles which got way too used to tent-ridden horisontal
positions. Hense, we took a 1.5 hr hike to Gorak Shep, the last permanent
outpost of "civilization" before the Base Camp, and onto Kala Patthar, a
nearby summit offering magnificent panorama of the Khumbu glacier, the Base
Camp and the Everest Summit, together with the North Col and the south Col of
the mountain. A few minutes after we summited a strong winds from the nearby
Pumori "blew" us down to Gorak Shep where we had a little celebratory lunch.

Now that the weather has stabilized (knock on wood) we are finally bound for
the ultimate summit push. Needless to say everybody is psyched and is busy
checking the inventory of everything one might need on the mountain. We are
scheduled to head up the Ice Fall before dawn tomorrow morning (May 16), with
subsequent stops at Camps 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the way to the Summit. Provided
everything runs smoothly, we will be on the mountain during the next 7-10
days.

Leader of the Seven Summits Club failed in a crack in the Base camp of
Everest.

Seven Summits Club expedition celebrated Victory Day in the
Base camp of Everest. Preparations for the festive evening took the entire
day. Club Guides Max Bogatyryov and Viktor Bobok set generator and karaoke.
Sherpas prepared food and drink. But suddenly the holiday was threatened. And
the Seven Summit Club's expedition almost lost its leader. In anticipation of
the celebration of the Victory Day, Alexander Abramov came round the base
camp, inviting guests from other expeditions. On the road from the Alpine
Ascents BC to Seven Summits Club's BC Alex failed to the ice crack filled with
water. Only the cap remained dry. He tried to communicate with their guides on
the radio, but radio wet and did not working. "It is insulting to die at the
base camp" - thought Alex and with great difficulty got out of the cracks. He
squeezed out thermal underwear and puff. Abramov had to drink 200 grams of
vodka, and drink after 100 grams of whiskey to the end that didn't ill.
Just an hour later started festive evening devoted to the Victory Day. The
evening was held at a high level. There were many distinguished guests: guides
of Russell Bruise, Karri Kobler, Dawa Stiven and his customers, Kazakh
expedition lead by Ervand Ilyinsky, Boris Korshunov and Abu Elmezov. This
evening completed a week of rest. Seven Summits Club expedition on Everest
entered to the final stage. In the coming days, participants will be on the
ascent.

Earlier: While participants` Seven Summit Club Everest expedetion
rest in the forest and preparing for ascension we can see some new photos

The last 4 days have been crowned with some success. All
participants of 7 Summits Club expedition by 2 teams visited the camps 1,2,3.
Up to 7300m.

Wall Lhodze now full of tents, but the best place as always with us: 6 tents
filled with food and fuel, one Sherpa sits in each and waves hand to climbers.

Now we have one serious problem - icefall. It is falls. And strange that so
far no one not killed.

Today, for all participants were declared a holiday until 9 th May evening.
Some people went down in woods at an altitude of 4000m, and some stayed near
the warm Internet.
Internet, as well as gas in the base camp, unlimited

Alexander Abramov, head of the expedition to Everest Seven Summits Club.

Earlier: A couple
of days ago the entire group bid farewell to Phillipe Bourlet, who left the
climb for his native Grenoble, France. For further climbs two sub-groups were
formed:

Team One: Andrei, Vladimir, Dmitry, Michael and Eric

Team Two: Lynn, Noel, Patric and John.

Team One is heading up the Ice Fall tomorrow, April 29, for the final
acclimatization trip that will go through C1 and ABC to Camp 3 (7300m) and on
to Geneva Spur (7800m). Team two will take the same route one day later.
Both teams will attempt the entire route without use of supplemental oxygen.

The wind has died overnight and it is a beautiful sunny and hot day at the
Base Camp. Reports from ABC are that all the supplimentary hardware and other
material has been brought up to the camp. Thus, the fly-away kitchen tent,
toilet tent (with the barrell?), and collapsed dining tent and member tents
should all be restored by the time Team One reaches ABC on April 30.

April,29 Today the first group of climbers go to Camp 1. At the camp they will
surprise. Today Dmitry Nikitin celebrating his birthday. In honor of this
event, the chef at a Camp 1 prepared celebratory pie of rice. Who comes first,
to get more.
Seven Summits Club congratulates Dmitry Happy Birthday

Yesterday, Alexander Abramov, met with leaders of other expeditions and they
said that they planning to climb to May,9.

Earlier:
News and photos from 7 Summits Club expedition.

It is a rest day at the Base Camp after going to Camp 2 - Advanced Base Camp
(ABC). Our ABC is located right at the foot of Mt. Everest's Western wall and
overlooks other camps at the location. From ABC one looks straight at Western
Cwm - a giant amphitheater made up by the Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse wall.
From ABC we could also see our future route climbing Lhotse face, crossing the
site of Camp 3 (7300m) and continuing accross the Yelow band (a distinct layer
of light rock crossing the black wall from left to right). The route then
crosses Geneva Spur (7600m) and leads onto South Col - a saddle between
Everest and Lhotse at roughly 8000m, and the site of our future Camp 4, the
summit camp. It was windy at times during the trip, but overall everybody
made it fine through this acclimatization trip and through spending a night at
Camp 1 and another at ABC. Our time of crossing Khumbu Ice Fall was
significantly better - about half of the time it took us the first tme
around. Today we learned that high winds raked Western Cwm and some of the
tents at ABC got flattened by it, so the camp has to be partially
reconstructed in the coming days. We plan our next climb after several days'
rest, probably towards the second half of the week of April 27.

April, 22. As the days
are getting longer and the Sun is becoming warmer we are
getting ready to head up for our second acclimatization
trip tomorrow. Given earlier sunrise we are planning for
a 5 am start up the Icefall. We will spend next two
nights in Camp 1 (6000m)and Camp 2 (6400m) before
heading back to Base Camp on Saturday.

Today is the rest day.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

We convened for lunch

Our kitchen

Our lunch

Noel in BC
Noel Hanna, Everest Summitter (summitted in 2006 with
our 7 Summits Club team from the North)

Dmitry Nikitin | 23.04.2009 - 11:30

The entire team returned to the base camp today after successful
acclimatization trip to Camp 1 at 6000m. Crossing Khumbu Icefall was the
first serious exercise of the trip. The Icefall is constantly moving, so we
had to leave early before the sun started to melt the ice formations, some of
which reach the height of a 5-6 storey building. The reward at the end of the
trip was an awesome view of Mt Everest (which can't be seen from the Base
Camp), the Western Cwm, which we will have to cross during the climb, and the
peaks of Lhotse, Cho-Oyu, Pumori and Nuptse.

We stayed overnight at Camp 1. Just prior to heading back down the Icefall at
5:30 am we learned that there was an ice avalanche overnight, so half of our
trip down the Fall took place across the terrain that was changed beyond
recognition from the previous day. Here near Mt Everest one is truly
confronted face to face with the nature's awesome might.

Earlier:
Buddhist puja ceremony this morning officially opened our camp and the
blessing was given to the climb, the climbers and climbing gear. Now buddhist
prayer flags criss-cross the camp.

In the afternoon the climbing team made its first incursion to Khumbu Ice
Fall. The roundtrip took 3 hours during which the equipment was checked, and
tested. We crossed crevasses, two of them with the help of aluminum ladders.
Today's short climb offered spectacular panorama of the basecamp and
surrounding peaks.

EVEREST EXPEDITION ARRIVED TO THE BASE CAMP

Today all the participants of the Everest expedition led by
Alexander Abramov arrived to the Base Camp. They had a holiday dinner on this
subject. During the lunch Alex Abramov announced the in the following days. In
the next two days, participants will have a rest, check the equipment and
training on the ice. And then they will go to the ABC (6400m).

The expedition arrived in the camp

Sherpas meet with members of the expedition

Tents

7 Summits Club: 1. "Himalayan Women to Seven Summits" will
go with Alex Abramov.
Alexander Abramov (Leader of the "7 Summits Club") from Kathmandu:
Today we met with the Nepalese women's team, which realizing a 7 Summits
project. We have signed a formal agreement to organize the climb expedition to
Elbrus (the highest mountain in Europe) for Himalayan Women's Seven Summits
team. The agreement has one indispensable condition - participation of
Alexander Abramov in Elbrus expedition as a guide.

2. The first rock climbing competition in Kathmandu.
March, 25 today the first rock climbing competition took place in Kathmandu.
The whole staff of Seven Summits Club and all the Sherpas took part in this
competition.

The competition was held in the Asian Trekking office.

In the competition participated not only 9 Sherpas (2 had already left for
Namche Bazar), 3 teams cooks, and the leader of the Everest expedition
Alexander Abramov participated in the competitions. He opened the competition,
explained the rules and participated in competition in the category "Cooks".

The arbiter was Mr Ang Tshering Sherpa - President of Nepal Mountaineering
Federation.

In the category "Cooks" the prize pool was $ 20. Cook Dorji Sherpa took the
first place and the prize. Abramov was second.

In the class "Climbing Sherpas" there was hard struggle with real
qualification, and the semi-finals. Dzang Bu Sherpa was the first and received
$ 100.Second place and $ 50 was taken by Pemba Sherpa.

Then was the holiday breakfast after which there was announced the official
start of the Everest expedition.

On March 27 all Sherpas, cooks and guides will take off to Lukla.

Earlier: March 20, the advance team for Seven Summits Club Everest
Expedition start off for Katmandu. The team consisting of: Abramov Alexander
(leader), Nikolay Cherny (guide), Maxim Bogatiryov (guide). They arrived in
Nepal before the whole group, to prepare everything necessary for the
expedition. Then Nicholay Cherny and Maxim Bogatyryov will go to the Everest
Base Camp for arrangement to the arrival of participants.
The expedition will take place from 20 March to 10 June 2009.
For Alexander Abramov (Captain Seven Summits Club and permanent Leader of
Seven Summits Club Everest expeditions) it is seventh expedition to Everest.
But this expedition is unique in many ways. It is the first time when Seven
Summits Club conduct the expedition to the south of Everest from Nepal.
Secondly, usually composed of members of the expedition was a majority of
Russians. This year a large part of the group consist of the citizens of other
countries.

Earlier:
Alex Abramov, 7 Summits Club Everest expedition has now added a South side
expedition in 2009 to go with his North side expedition. Alex
on the Tibet Side of Everest plans has 16 members, 17 Sherpas, 5 guides, a
Doctor and 5 cooks for the expedition. It is assumed Alex and his large team
of Sherpas will do most the route fixing this year on Everest North side.
Unclear the numbers for the South side, but demand is high for expedition
permits and places on expeditions.

More coming soon!

Everest from the South Side
in Nepal

Base Camp - 17,500 feet (5350
meters)

This is a
picture of the popular South Col Route up Mt. Everest. Base camp is located
at 17,500 feet. This is where climbers begin their true trip up the
mountain. This is also where support staff often remain to monitor the
expeditions and provide medical assistance when necessary. Many organizations
offer hiking trips which just go to base camp as the trip is not technically
challenging (though you must be very fit).

From base
camp, climbers typically train and acclimate (permitting the body to adjust to
the decreased oxygen in the air) by traveling and bringing supplies back and
forth through the often treacherous Khumbu Icefall. This training and
recuperation continues throughout the climb, with the final summit push often
being the only time to climbers do not go back and forth between camps to
train, bring supplies, and recuperate for the next push.

The Icefall
is in constant motion. It contains enormous ice seracs, often larger than
houses, which dangle precariously over the climbers heads, threatening to fall
at any moment without warning, as the climbers cross endless crevasses and
listen to continuous ice creaking below. This often acts as a testing ground
to judge if less experienced climbers will be capable of continuing. The
Icefall is located between 17,500 and 19,500 feet.

Camp I -
5900 meters

After the
Icefall, the climbers arrive at Camp I, which is located at 19,500 feet.
Depending on the type of expedition, Camp I will either be stocked by the
climbers as they ascend and descend the Icefall, or by Sherpas in advance.

The area
between Camp I and Camp II is known as the Western Cwm. As the climbers reach
Camp II at 21,000 feet, they may be temporarily out of sight of their support
at Base camp. Nonetheless, modern communication devises permit the parties to
stay in contact.

Camp II -
6500 meters

As the
climbers leave Camp II, they travel towards the Lhotse face (Lhotse is a
27,920 foot mountain bordering Everest). The Lhotse face is a steep, shiny
icy wall. Though not technically extremely difficult, one misstep or slip
could mean a climber's life. Indeed, many climbers have lost their lives
through such mishaps.

Camp III -
23,700 feet (7200 meters)

To reach Camp
III, climbers must negotiate the Lhotse Face. Climbing a sheer wall of ice
demands skill, strength and stamina. It is so steep and treacherous that many
Sherpas move directly from Camp II to Camp IV on the South Col, refusing to
stay on the Lhotse Face.

Camp IV -
26,300 feet (8000 meters)

As youíre leaving C4Öitís a
little bit of a down slope, with the uphill side to the left. There are
typically snow on the ledges to walk down on, interspersed with rock, along
with some fixed rope. The problem with the rope is that the anchors are bad,
and thereís not much holding the rope and a fall could be serious. Fortunately
itís not too steep, but there is a ton of exposure and people are usually
tired when walking down from camp. The rock is a little down sloping to the
right as well, and with crampons on, it can be bit tricky with any kind of
wind. Thereís a little short slope on reliable snow which leads to the top of
the Geneva Spur, and the wind pressure gradient across the spur can increase
there as youíre getting set up for the rappel. Wearing an oxygen mask here can
create some footing issues during the rappel, because itís impossible to see
over the mask and down to the feet. For that reason, some people choose to
leave Camp 4 without gas, as itís easier to keep moving down the Spur when
itís important to see all the small rock steps and where the old feet are
going. Navigating down through all of the spaghetti of fixed ropes is a bit of
a challenge, especially with mush for brains at that point. One lands on some
lower ledges which arenít so steep, where fixed ropes through here are solid.
At this point, itís just a matter of staying upright, and usually, the wind
has died significantly after dropping off the Spur. The route turns hard to
the left onto the snowfield that leads to the top of the Yellow Bands.

Camp IV,
which is at 26,300 on the Lhotse face, is typically the climbers' first
overnight stay in the Death Zone. The Death Zone is above 26,000 feet.
Though there is nothing magical about that altitude, it is at this altitude
that most human bodies lose all ability to acclimate. Accordingly, the body
slowly begins to deteriorate and die - thus, the name "Death Zone." The
longer a climber stays at this altitude, the more likely illness (HACE - high
altitude cerebral edema - or HAPE - high altitude pulmonary edema) or death
will occur. Most climbers will use oxygen to climb and sleep at this altitude
and above. Generally, Sherpas refuse to sleep on the Lhotse face and will
travel to either Camp II or Camp IV.

Camp IV is
located at 26,300 feet. This is the final major camp for the summit push. It
is at this point that the climbers make their final preparations. It is also
a haven for worn-out climbers on their exhausting descent from summit attempts
(both successful and not). Sherpas or other climbers will often wait here
with supplies and hot tea for returning climbers.

From Camp IV,
climbers will push through the Balcony, at 27,500 feet, to the Hillary Step at
28,800 feet. The Hillary Step, an over 70 foot rock step, is named after Sir.
Edmond Hillary, who in 1953, along with Tenzing Norgay, became the first
people to summit Everest. The Hillary Step, which is climbed with fixed
ropes, often becomes a bottleneck as only one climber can climb at a time.
Though the Hillary Step would not be difficult at sea level for experienced
climbers, at Everest's altitude, it is considered the most technically
challenging aspect of the climb.

Summit -
29,028 feet (8848 meters)

Once the
climbers ascend the Hillary Step, they slowly and laboriously proceed to the
summit at 29,028 feet. The summit sits at the top of the world. Though not
the closest place to the sun due to the earth's curve, it is the highest peak
on earth. Due to the decreased air pressure, the summit contains less than
one third the oxygen as at sea level. If dropped off on the summit directly
from sea level (impossible in reality), a person would die within minutes.
Typically, climbers achieving the great summit will take pictures, gain their
composure, briefly enjoy the view, then return to Camp IV as quickly as
possible. The risk of staying at the summit and the exhaustion from
achieving the summit is too great to permit climbers to fully enjoy the great
accomplishment at that moment.

As most
readers of this page know, the return trip can be even more dangerous than the
climb to the summit.